Articles from Citizens Against Government Waste

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its Critical Waste Issues for the 119th Congress. The publication is a concentrated list of some of the most important proposals that CAGW believes will result in a smaller and more efficient government.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a new issue brief, “Federal Budget: In Dire Need of Reform,” co-authored by CAGW President Tom Schatz and Federal Government Affairs Manager Eric Maus, which details how the congressional budget process has been an abject failure and is long overdue for reform.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra its January 2025 Porker of the Month for abusing his power and failing to protect consumers.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan its November 2024 Porker of the Month for consistently overreaching her authority, violating ethics standards, and pushing anti-capitalist policies.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a new issue brief, “BEAD: Broadband or Bust,” co-authored by CAGW President Tom Schatz and State Government Affairs Associate Alec Mena, which details how the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program was provided with $42.45 billion in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with the intent to provide broadband access to unserved households across America.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its 25th annual compilation of the hair-raising, harrowing, and horrifying Taxpayer Tricks and Treats. 2024 has again been a spooky year for taxpayers, but there have been some treats mixed in for folks to enjoy.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel its October 2024 Porker of the Month for her ghastly decision to block funding for Starlink to deploy satellite internet service in hard-to-reach areas of the country.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released Prime Cuts 2024, the latest edition of the group’s comprehensive recommendations to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) its September 2024 Porker of the Month for trying to force taxpayers to pay taxes on unrealized gains on investments.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan August 2024 Porker of the Month for pushing school districts to purchase electric school buses.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) and Missouri Governor Michael Parson (R) its July 2024 Porkers of the Month for renewing the fight to locate the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to their respective sides of the Missouri River.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-Maine) its June 2024 Porker of the Month for receiving 231 earmarks costing $575.6 million, the most of any member of Congress.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its 2024 Congressional Pig Book, the 32nd edition of the group’s exposé on pork-barrel spending.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) its May 2024 Porker of the Month for receiving $236.8 million for the single largest pork-barrel earmark.

Today, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel (D) announced the return of net neutrality rules. Following the adoption of several attempts by the FCC to impose strict regulations over the internet, CAGW President Tom Schatz issued the following statement:

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) its April 2024 Porker of the Month for pushing for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to prepare and collect everyone’s taxes.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) its March 2024 Porker of the Month for pushing prolific amounts of pork.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) its February 2024 Porker of the Month for saying that fixing climate change depends on forgiving student loan debt.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) announced the results of its online poll for the 2023 Porker of the Year. There were five worthy candidates who were guilty of plugging pricey policies, promoting earmarks and wasteful practices, pushing budget increase, and widening the Green New Deal scheme.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) its January 2024 Porker of the Month for agreeing to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on a new mega sports complex.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) its November 2023 Porker of the Month for trying to take away everyone's credit card benefits.

Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted along party lines to adopt rules that will have a negative impact on communications providers regardless of size and scope of their services, and their customers, all in the name of so-called “digital equity.”

Today, following the partisan vote on the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled Reestablishing the Open Internet Protection at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) President Tom Schatz issued the following statement:

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a new issue brief, “The F-35 Does Not Need an Alternate Engine,” co-authored by CAGW President Tom Schatz and Director of Research Sean Kennedy, which details why the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) alternate engine should not be developed and how it is a waste of the taxpayers’ money. Like it was when the first version of the alternate engine was terminated in 2011, it is once again being opposed by the Department of Defense, the White House, and taxpayer groups, but supported by members of Congress who are trying to serve their parochial interests at the expense of national security priorities.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released Prime Cuts 2023, the latest edition of the group’s comprehensive recommendations to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government.

Today, Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel (D) announced plans to bring back heavy-handed net neutrality rules to regulate the internet by rescinding the Restoring Internet Freedom Order. In response to this attempt to gain more government control over the internet, CAGW President Tom Schatz issued the following statement:

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan its September 2023 Porker of the Month for requesting a massive 37 percent budget increase.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a new issue brief, “Tobacco Harm Reduction Products Should Be Promoted not Prohibited,” co-authored by CAGW President Tom Schatz and Director of Health and Science Policy Christina Smith, which details the benefits of tobacco harm reduction (THR) products. These products are less dangerous alternatives to traditional cigarettes that are proven effective tools used to help adult smokers quit, but government regulations have resulted in a dangerous and unregulated market that puts consumers at risk.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named House Energy-Water Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) our August 2023 Porker of the Month for receiving $273.3 million in pork-barrel earmarks.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) our July 2023 Porker of the Month for wanting to waste billions on an unnecessary alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) our May 2023 Porker of the Month for signing a budget that bans gas stoves and furnaces in new residential buildings.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its 2023 Congressional Pig Book, the 31st edition of the group’s exposé on pork-barrel spending.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen our April 2023 Porker of the Month for declaring that President Biden’s “budget will deliver deficit reduction.”

The little pink book that makes Washington, D.C. squeal is back. On Thursday April 27, 2023, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) will release the 2023 Congressional Pig Book at a virtual press conference at 9:00 a.m. EDT on Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/CAGW.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a new issue brief, “Fields of Failure: The Scandal of Taxpayer Funded Stadiums,” co-authored by CAGW President Tom Schatz and CAGW State Government Affairs Associate Ryan Lanier, which details how taxpayer funded stadiums have become a scourge on the nation, costing taxpayers billions of dollars each year in new expenses and lost tax revenues.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) our March 2023 Porker of the Month for declaring that “education from child care to graduate school is a human right. It should be free for all.”

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) our February 2023 Porker of the Month for securing $666 billion in pork-barrel earmarks.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) our January 2023 Porker of the Month for thinking it is a bad idea to cut off $80 billion to hire 87,000 new IRS agents to go after taxpayers.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its Critical Waste Issues for the 118th Congress. The publication is a concentrated list of some of the most important proposals that CAGW believes will result in a smaller and more efficient government. The budget deficit was $2.8 trillion in fiscal year (FY) 2021, the second largest in history, and $1.4 trillion in FY 2022, the fourth largest in history. The national debt is $31.5 trillion, and the cost of paying the interest on the debt is greater than anticipated due to rising interest rates. There could not be a more critical time for action to reduce government waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, and rein in the size and scope of the federal government.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (D) our November 2022 Porker of the Month for falsely claiming that Democrats should not be blamed for inflation.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a new issue brief, “Curing What Ails the U.S. Healthcare System,” co-authored by CAGW President Tom Schatz and Director of Health and Science Policy Christina Smith, which describes current problems and offers solutions to reform the U.S. healthcare system. The issue brief describes how government bureaucracy, subsidies, price controls, and red tape have distorted the medical marketplace, resulting in higher prices and less access for patients, and how to instead give patients more choices and control over their healthcare.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released Prime Cuts 2022, the latest edition of the group’s comprehensive recommendations to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government.

The word “spooky” is insufficient to describe the frightful way President Biden and Congress damaged taxpayers during 2022, so today Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its 23rd annual compilation of the hair-raising, harrowing, and horrifying Taxpayer Tricks and Treats. There was so much scary spending and so many repugnant regulations that there are more tricks and fewer treats than usual.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released “All About Earmarks: A Brief History.” The report tracks the history of earmarks from the early opposition by the Founding Fathers through to the present. In fiscal year (FY) 2022, legislators added 5,138 earmarks costing $18.9 billion.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) our September 2022 Porker of the Month for wanting to raise taxes and bankrupt America.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) our August 2022 Porker of the Month for lying about not raising taxes during a recession by creating the “Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).”

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its 2022 Congressional Pig Book, the 30th anniversary edition of the group’s exposé on pork-barrel spending.

The little pink book that makes Washington, D.C. squeal is back. On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) will release the 2022 Congressional Pig Book at a virtual press conference at 9:00 a.m. EDT on Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/CAGW.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Education Secretary Miguel Cardona our June 2022 Porker of the Month for trying to force taxpayers to bailout student loan borrowers.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) our May 2022 Porker of the Month for forcing New York taxpayers to pay for a new Buffalo Bills stadium.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) our April 2022 Porker of the Month for claiming he has secured $683 million in pork-barrel earmarks.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) our March 2022 Porker of the Month for calling the debt ceiling a “figment of your imagination in terms of its validity.”

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Governor Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) our February 2022 Porker of the Month for trying to allocate COVID relief funds for his own Green New Deal.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) our January 2022 Porker of the Month for misleading Americans by claiming the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) will fight inflation and lower costs.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) announced the results of its online poll for the 2021 Porker of the Year. There were six worthy candidates who were guilty of plugging pricey policies, promoting earmarks, pushing wasteful spending bills for infrastructure and social programs, and demanding that the IRS spy on Americans’ bank accounts.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) our November 2021 Porker of the Month for pressuring President Joe Biden to cancel student loan debt.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen our October 2021 Porker of the Month for demanding that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) be allowed to use its petrifying powers to investigate every detail of how average Americans are spending their money.

Today, at the beginning of fiscal year (FY) 2022, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released Prime Cuts 2021, the latest edition of the group’s comprehensive recommendations to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a new Issue Brief, “Government-Run Healthcare Will Harm Patients and Eliminate Consumer Choice,” co-authored by CAGW President Tom Schatz and CAGW Director of Health and Science Policy Elizabeth Wright which details why a free market approach to healthcare reform is necessary to ensure individuals have the best care available at a cost they can afford.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) September 2021 Porkers of the Month for endangering America’s financial stability with their massive spending plan.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) our August 2021 Porker of the Month for proposing a taxpayer-funded Civilian Climate Corps that would hire millions of people and cost billions of dollars.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) our July 2021 Porker of the Month for introducing the wasteful and earmark-loaded INVEST in America Act.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Representative Mike Turner (R-Ohio) our June 2021 Porker of the Month for leading the push to add more money for the troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) our May 2021 Porker of the Month for her absurd tweet that “paid leave, child care and caregiving” are all “infrastructure.”

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) named Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) our April 2021 Porker of the Month for leading the charge to bring back wasteful pork-barrel earmarks.

Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its 2021 Congressional Pig Book, the 29th edition of the group’s exposé on pork-barrel spending.

The little pink book that makes Washington, D.C. squeal is back. Tomorrow, April 14, 2021, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) will release the 2021 Congressional Pig Book at a virtual press conference on Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/CAGW at 10:00 a.m. EDT.